Variable inclination supporting bracket



' Dec. 28, 1937.

P. H. MEYER I 2,103,485

VARIABLE INCLINATION SUPPORTING BRACKET Filed Aug. 5, 1936 INVENTOR v PIER/PE H. ML-YE/P ATTORNE Patented 28, 1937 I r V r i UNl-TED :STATES' PATENT OFFICE VARIABLE INCLINATION SUPPORTING BRACKET Pierre H. Meyer, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application August 5, 1936; Serial No. 94,351

V :1 Claim. (01. 248300) This invention-relates to brackets for use in of displays. The'form shown will adapt itself to connection with perforated supporting strips or many uses. The blank consists of a wide'end the like or on a: table, counter or other supportportion 6 and a narrower end portion 1; the latter ing surface; and the object of the invention is to being cut to form "a projecting hook-shaped provide a device of the character described with tongue 8 and two supporting flanges 9 at oppo- 5 means for varying the'inclination of the bracket site sides thereof. The wide end portion is prefto space the article supportedthereon in the de-V erably apertured as seen at Ill. However, this sired inclinedpl'ane with respect to a; vertical or aperture need not necessarily be employed. This 7 horizontalsurface; a' further object being to proend portion is bent or folded substantially on the 10 vide bracket of the character described which lines and |2 to form a hook-shaped or trough 1 is'fashioned froma single sheet of material and shaped retaining flange l3, the opposite endporshaped to form ayieldable bracing element movtions of which are provided with depressions l4 able into different positions with respect'to'one which form on the lower surfaces thereof knobs surface of the support, with means on said eleor beads to engagea table or other supporting ment. and one end portion of the bracket for cousurface n t e mantle! illdicalted in 3 0f the 15 pling the same with an apertured supporting drawing. strip, and the me ged portion of the bracket The blank 5, intermediate its ends, is die cut or having a' retaining flange or trough for support stamped along the substantially U-shaped lines ing an article on said bracket; and with theseand IE to form a bracing or supporting element or otherobjects in View the invention consists in a part It, the wide end portion of which is folded device of" the class and for the purpose specified to form angularly extending flanges or supporting which is simple in"c'ofistruction; eiiicient in use feet and a projecting tongue or hook It, the andwhich is constructed as hereinafter described latter being formed by the Cult-011195 as Clearly and claimed; seen in Fig. 4 of the drawing; The hook or tongue The invention is fully disclosed in the following is in alinement with the hook or tongue 8, and 25 specification, of which the accompanying drawthese parts are adapted to engage spaced apering forms a part, inwhich the separate parts of tures 20 formed in and arranged longi u my improvement aredesignated by suitable refof a supporting strip 2|. The strip 2| is provided erence characters in each of the views, and in with rearwardly offset side flanges 22 so as to which: dispose the central apertured portion of the strip 30 Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through outwardly with respect to a: supporting surface 23 one form of supporting strip which I may emto which the strip 2| is attached by screws or nails ploy showing two of my improved brackets ar- 24, as indicated in Fig. l of the drawing. ranged thereon in different positions, one of said The freely fl x P element is is d p brackets being shown in section. ed to be normally contained vwithin the 35 Fig. 2 is a face view of the constructionshown boundaries of the central body portion 5a of the in Fig. 1. bracket, and when in use, to be extended to the Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the brackets rear surface of said body portion the desired deshown in Fig. 1, detached and indicating uses gree to extend the surface 5d at a predetermined thereof on a horizontal supporting surface; and inclination with respect to the strip 2| or the 40 Fig. 4 is a plan view of a blank from. which surface 25, as may be seen in Figs. 1 and 3. The one of my improved devices is formed. upper or narrow end portion 1 of the bracket is In constructing my improved variable inclinapreferably rounded, and in coupling the bracket tion bracket, the same is preferably formed from to the strip 2|, the hook or tongue 8 is inserted sheet metal of a type and kind capable of free through one of the apertures 20 and the hook or 5 and continuous flexure, especially with respect tongue l8 is passed through another of said aperto the supporting or bracing element or part tures in spaced relation to the first named aperthereof. However, the device may be made from tures and with the desired inclination of the any suitable sheet material, such for example, as body portion 5a with respect to said strip. In

. celluloid or fibre-board or the like. A Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown two different 50 V In forming this device, I employ a blank sub inclinations of the bracket upon the supporting stantially similar to the blank 5 shown in Fig. 4 strip, whereas, in Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have of the drawing, it being understood at this time, shown in full and dotted lines two different inhowever, that the peripheral contour of the blank clinations of the bracket upon the supporting may be modified to suit various types and kinds surface 25. 55

In both cases, the element serves to reinforce and brace the body portion 5a so as to support an article thereon in the inclination desired. The element l6, While being forcibly movable into its different flexed positions, will maintain such positions under normal loads, and in the use of the bracket on the strip 2|, the flanges 9 as well as the flanges I! will rest upon the outer surfaces of the flanges 22 of said strip to support the bracket against lateral movement. However, in mounting the bracket upon wide, flat, apertured surfaces, the flanges 9 and I! may be eliminated or will be cut back sufficiently to engage said flat surfaces.

A bracket device of the class described will satisfy a much needed want in the support and display of merchandise upon counters, tables, shelves and the like, as well as upon other vertical supports, including various types and kinds of window displays. It will be understood in this connection that the supporting strip 2| may be simply a rod extending vertically from a supporting surface, or a tube or plate, and this rod, tube or plate may be of any desired length to accommodate any desired number of the brackets thereon. Also, the bracket may form a means for supporting a panel plate or other display upon which a number of articles are arranged, and two or more of the supports may be arranged side by side, with brackets in common alinement, to form dual supports for a board, strip or other display elements.

From the foregoing, it will appear that a bracket of the kind described will have many uses and may be made in different styles and contours and of different dimensions to suit the uses thereof in the support of small as well as large articles.

In, this connection, I also preferably form a small U-shaped die cut 26 in the blank adjacent 'the narrow end portion 1 so that a supporting hook 2! may be extended at the front surface of the body portion 511, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, to provide means for hanging an article of merchandise for display on the outer surface of the bracket. However, the member 21 may be freely flexed inwardly and outwardly so as not to obstruct the surface when the hanging of articles is not desired.

I also provide the blank of body portion 5 with a key-hole type aperture 28, which, in the accompanying drawing, is arranged above the hook 21. This aperture is provided to facilitate the mounting of the device upon a headed screw or nail attached to a wall or other supporting surface in order to hang the same therefrom. With this use of the device, the bracing or supporting element will be moved to support the article in different inclinations to said surface.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A devicefor supporting articles in an inclined position, said device comprising an elongated plate member, the lower end portion of which is provided with an outwardly extending curved article supporting flange and a pliable brace part normally disposed in alinement with said plate member and freely flexible into different angular positions with respect to the rear surface of said plate member and retained in the flexed position by the pliable characteristics of said member in controlling the angularity of support of said plate member with respect to a predetermined surface, said plate member having at the upper end thereof a rearwardly curved portion having a central upwardly curved tongue for engaging with an apertured support and downwardly curved tongues on either side thereof for engaging with the surface of said support, said device further having at the extremity of said brace part a central and downwardly curved tongue for engaging any one of several other apertures in said support, and upwardly curved tongues on either side of said last named tongue for engaging the surface of said support.

PIERRE H. MEYER. 

